The Forgotten Guardian Force
by Gunblade Girl
Summary: Sequel to Squall's Sister. Squall falls down Garden and is saved by an unknown GF. This one seems to know a lot about him and his future regarding Hyne... The 2nd part to my trilogy.
1. Prologue: Mysterious Shadow

The Forgotten Guardian Force

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Prologue: Mysterious Shadow 

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            A nice breeze was following the floating Garden of Balamb over the sea. Sometimes, the wind was blowing stronger over the Quad, messing with two young men's hair. Especially the brown haired one considering it was longer then the blond one's. 

            Both wielding their gunblade, they ran to each other, the metal loudly clashing on each other's.

            "You're slow, Squall!" the blond accused. "You're not being easy on me now are you?"

            Squall raised his weapon over his head and brought it down, slashing the air just in front of his opponent.

            "Of course not!" he answered. "We've never been soft in our fights before, even in training. I'm not gonna start now because you're dating my sister!"

            He roughly pushed his friend away. When they were fighting, there was no such thing as friendship or family relationship. But it was the first time they were fighting each other since Squall discovered the existence of his twin sister. Bigger surprise: she was a Sorceress! It has been quite a story, but thank goodness, it was over. For a few months only but it seemed like yesterday for most of the people who found themselves involved in this story against their will.

            "Come on, Seifer!" Squall commanded. "Show me what you got!"

            "You asked for it!"

            The blond guy dashed the younger one and hit him hard, sending him on his back and sliding to the edge of the Quad. Then he ran to him, his weapon in hand with a frown on his face and slashed. Squall turned to his side to dodge but Seifer hit the edge on the other side to prevent Squall from going away. He repeated that move some times then stopped, putting his blade down. Squall was catching his breath, his back against the edge. Seifer smiled.

            "Guess I won this one, huh?"

            "I guess," Squall answered smiling back.

            Something cracked when Squall tried to push himself away from the edge of the Quad. He froze and stopped breathing. Seifer lost his smile and stopped breathing too.

            "What was…" Squall started.

            "Think I over-hit. Don't move."

            Squall did as he was told but it was still lightly cracking. Seifer slowly stepped forward, getting closer from a nervous growing Squall. The blond boy was afraid the edge would give way if he would step closer so he just outstretched his hand for Squall to catch.

            "Here! Give me your hand, quick!"

            Squall outstretched  his hand to Seifer's, slowly. The edge kept cracking and a cold sweat started rolling down Squall's face.

            "Come on," Seifer said. "Just a little more."

            Their gloved hands were just an inch from each other's but they couldn't get closer. Clenching his teeth, Squall tried harder when a final crack preceded the fall of the damaged part. Leaning against it, Squall fell backward. Horrified, Seifer made a desperate move to catch his friend but his hand only caught thin air. Lying on his front, Seifer could only watch his friend fall.

            "Squall!!" he yelled his hand held out down.

            Squall rolled over himself and hit his head against the wall before falling in the water. A chance it wasn't over ground he would have hit the wheels spinning around Garden and surely die.

            Seifer kept calling Squall's name, never leaving his eyes off the spot he disappeared in the sea.

            With force calling, the others came out, wondering what was wrong.

            "Yo, Seifer!" Zell called jokingly. "What did you do to him?"

            But seeing Seifer constantly looking down, then getting a sight of the broken edge, they started worrying.

            "Seifer?" a brown haired girl looking just like Squall called.

            Seifer turned to them looking very worried.

            "Make Garden stop! Squall fell overboard!"

            "What?" the asian girl exclaimed with fear.

            "I'll tell Nida!" the cowboy told.

            He ran back inside while the others all ran to Seifer. Squall's twin and the asian looked into the water along with Seifer.

            "Where?" 

            "There!" Seifer indicated pointing a spot way behind them.

            "Why isn't he surfacing yet?" a blond girl asked.

            "I think he hit his head on the way." Seifer answered. "He might be unconscious, oh, Coran, Rinoa I'm sorry!"

            "Not your fault," the twin answered. "Judging from your calls, you tried to catch him back."

            Seifer nodded silently when Garden started slowing down. Then it stopped before slowly going backward.

            "I can't take this!" Rinoa exclaimed getting up.

            "What?"

            She lowered her head and closed her eyes. She was enwrapped in a white light and two white wings spreaded out of her back. It was her limit break Angel Wings. But she wasn't in a limit break state. The others stared at her.

            "Rinoa?" Seifer called.

            Without answering, Rinoa jumped over the edge and dove down, traced by the others.

            "Rinoa!!"

            She flapped her wings to break her fall just over the water and scanned it, calling out Squall's name.

            "She won't do it alone," Coran said.

            When Seifer turned to her, he saw her jump over the edge too, falling down.

            "Coran!!"

            She was enwrapped in a reddish aura as she fell for the water. She slowed down until she was just over the water. Circles formed in the water just under her as she was levitating. She floated farther to scan more space. Both Rinoa and her were calling for Squall. But no sign of him...

            Deep under the surface, Squall kept sinking. His eyes were half closed and he couldn't move. He was paralyzed. Probably from the hit on his head. His mind was as blurred as his sight. His arms refused to move just like his legs. He could still hold his breathe but what for? He couldn't get back to the surface. His lungs started to burn. His chest was stirring. He tried to move but his head was hit too hard. It was like he was in state between uncounsciousness and awakening. Awake so he could guess he would die and uncounscious he couldn't move.

            _That's it? I'm a fighter and I'm gonna die drowning underwater?_

_            A huge shadow suddenly appeared coming his way. But his sight started to fill with red so he couldn't guess. When he blacked out, he could hear Rinoa's voice ring in his heart as she was calling out his name with tears of fear in her voice. He couldn't see the shadow creature stop by him and couldn't feel it grab him into the depths of the sea._


	2. Chapter 1: Strange Creatures

Chapter 1: Strange Creatures

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****           Something was blowing into his mouth. What was it? The wind of death, maybe... Does death claims lives from the mouth?

            Wait! How could he feel wind if he was dead? Through his mouth none the least! And it was warm... He slowly opened his mouth to claim more air and then the wind into his mouth stopped. He sat up to claim more and more air. He caughed as if he didn't breath for a while. A hand gently tapped his back as he caught his breath.

            "You okay?" a female voice asked.

            When he stopped caughing, he laid back down. He closed his eyes and took deep slow breathes. 

            "Yeah..." he whispered  with a hoarse voice.

            He turned his head and saw a girl crouched down by him... naked.

            "Whoa!!" he exclaimed as he sat up.

            He placed a hand over his mouth. She... kissed him? He blushed and looked away.

            "What's wrong?" the girl asked giggling.

            Squall couldn't say a word. The shock of awakening close to a girl in birthday suit was overtaking him.

            "I think people normally do not walk around undressed, Maureen," a voice said.

            Squall looked around. He was in a cave, dark. The voice was coming from deeper in the shadows.

            "Oh, well..." the girl said with what sounded like a deceived tone.

            She got up and walked into the shadows to the voice's way.

            "Who...? Where am I?"

            "I can tell thou hast many questions which need answers, young Loire."

            That voice was nothing like the girl's. She had a soft voice, calm, but strange like it wasn't used very often. But this voice was beyond human. Male, but really low and calming.

            But then it hit him. Loire?

            "How do you know my father?" he exclaimed getting up.

            He suddenly felt weak and nearly collapsed. The girl came back in a flash wrapped in a cloak. She held him so he could sit down.

            "Take it easy. You nearly drowned you know?"

            "Drown? Oh that's right: I fell in the water and I couldn't move."

            He turned his head to the girl.

            "You gave me mouth to mouth, didn't you?"

            The girl nodded with a wide smile. Squall arched an eyebrow. She was very childish for her age. Squall could guess she was a teenager from her shape. Then he blushed again.

            "You're so cute!"

            "Stop embarassing him, Maureen."

            "Sorry."

            Squall turned to the way the voice was coming from.

            "Who are you?"

            He could only see a large shadow in the back of the cave. It moved his way, loud steps, making the cave tremble.

            "I was called many names in the past, but right now I am what thy kind call a Guardian Force."

            "A.. GF?!"

            The creature came out of the dark. It was incredible. It looked like a dragon, but his wings looked more like fins. Some kind of underwater monster but it was neither scary or ugly. It had a long tail moving slowly, hypnotizingly. It's face was kind and just looking at it, you could tell it was wise through age. Probably older than anything in the world!

            "Yes. So I guessed right young Loire?"

            "Loire... Laguna Loire is my father... how come you know him?"

            "I saved his life in the past. He fell from a cliff on the centra continent. I found him drifting and I took him close to a city called Winhill."

            "You were the one to take him there?! That would mean... that my birth is your work?!"

            "I think thou couldst say it that way."

            "You speak funny..."

            "Oh! Sorry. I tend to forget that with time, people gave up that mode of speaking."

            "You must have a name. What is it?"

            "The name my creator gave me was Akuma."

            "The 'devil'? Why?"

            "Because I was the first GF Hyne allowed to move around. She said I wouldn't be liked or tamed like the others would. I was helping her to instore this world. The other GFs came much later, just before she left this world."

            "Did you say Hyne?!" Squall exclaimed.

            He couldn't believe it. The first Sorceress, creator of this world, the Great Hyne?

            "Of course! She placed us GFs to take care of humans."

            "Then what are you doing here? And who is she?" he asked pointing at the girl.

            She was kneeling behind him, touching his head.

            "Ow! Hey watch it, it hurts!"

            He reached for the back of his head and felt a bump. He probably got that when he hit the wall as he fell from Garden.

            "My name is Maureen. Just like Akuma, I'm a reject."

            "A reject?"

            She took her cloak off. Squall widened his eyes then looked away. Maureen walked to a spring not far from where Squall was sitting. Then she jumped in. A few seconds past then she surfaced again.

            "No way!"

            It wasn't the same girl at all. Her eyes earlier pale blue were now an emerald glowing green. She had scales on her cheeks, her forhead, her arms, fins on her elbows, scales covering her breasts... She pulled herself out the water with her arms and Squall saw... not what he was expecting at least. Instead of her womanhood, she had scales! From her waist... to her toes! Or what it was switched for: a tail! She was a mermaid! Her scales were a glowing mix of green and blue. Her hair earlier black was green.

            "That's why I'm a reject. Anytime I touch water, I turn into this."

            She just sat not to close to Squall in case he would be upset by her appearence.

            "At first I was mad. I thought it wasn't fair...why me? My parents abandonned me when they realized I just had to be splashed to turn into this... thing! One day, I came upon Akuma who was hurt and I treated him so he said I could stay with him. He was the only one not offended by the monster I was..."

            Squall went to her and stopped a few inches away in case she would be offended. 

            "You're not a monster... You're pretty and pure... Look at my hands... They're of a warrior, I killed many monsters in the past but I wouldn't want to kill you."

            The girl's face lightened up as if it was the first time she received a compliment before.

            "Thank you. This means a lot."

            Squall turned to Akuma.

            "How did you end down here? Because we're underwater aren't we?"

            "That's right young Loire. This spring there is the only entrance to this cave. Except for you, not a single human ever entered here. We were both chased down here. It was the only safe place left for us. Since humans were not sure if I was monster or GF, they just hunted me down."

            "That's awful. Why did you save me?"

            "Because I felt like it. You have an important role to play in this world so it was not yet the time for you to die."

            "A role?"

            "I already said to much..."

            Squall looked at Maureen. Her scales were beginning to fade as she was drying up.

            "Does it... hurt?" Squall asked.

            "What... when I'm changing? No. The first few years, I was always scared to see the scales appear but after few decades.."

            "Decades?! How old are you??!!"

            "In your time, you would say I'm close to... three centuries. But you wouldn't say how old Akuma is. He's been here before humans."

            Three centuries... And he tought she looked like a teenager. He was just a baby for her!! 

            She laughed at his confused face.

            "Since I look different, I age differently too. It even occured to me that I could be immortal. But Akuma said I'm not. I might live longer than the human race, but I will age. (Sigh) All these years to live alone..."

            Squall understood she was talking about being with her kind. He felt sorry for her. She would probably never know what it means to love.

            He got up, brushing the dust off his clothes.

            "Well thanks for saving me and all, but my friends must be worried about me. I should go back."

            But he collapsed after a single step. Maureen hurried to catch him.

            "Fool! You haven't recovered yet! You got a real nasty bump on your head and you nearly drowned if I may remind you!"

            "But I must tell them..."

            "Let me do it. If they are looking for you underwater, I can tell someone you're here, doing fine and that you'll go home soon."

            "You would?"

            She gave a wide smile.

            "Of course! You were the only human I ever spoke to since I accepted my life as a mermaid. And the first one to say I'm pretty. I just hope they're not scared of me when they see me."

            "I'm sure they won't."

            She jumped in the water and disappeared.

            Squall turned to Akuma. 

            "So... You really were created by Hyne?"

            "So were you."

            "But... you actually saw her? How was she? Some say she was an evil god, others that she was a Sorceress, some even say it was a man."

            "She was female. Of undescribable beauty. She was very strict and she had incredible powers. After she finished with this world, she said she needed rest, long rest. So she split her powers accross the world, saying she wouldn't be able to sleep with them. That's how Sorceresses were born."

            Squall just listened to him as if he was a kid being told a bed time story.

            "We were placed to watch over you. Some were tamed, others wild, and there was me. I lived through generations. I saw the Centra civilization be born and destroyed. Then I saw their structures being dug out to be called Garden. With time, I also developped special abilities."

            "Like what."

            "Power to see the future."

            "So what did you see?"

            "It's not clear, future can't be predicted. It will be as you make it. But I tell you you have an important role to play. It can be good or bad depending how you play it. I can't tell you anymore. I don't personally like watching the future. Life wouldn't be fun if I would know everything that's gonna happen."

            "I see..."

            Squall just laid down and looked at the inner cavern. Wet rocks, dark, reflects coming from the water surface. He sighed.

            "You're upset, aren't you?"

            "It is... beacuse of the role I'll play you saved my father?"

            "Yes, and no. I didn't know what would happen. I just had a feeling I had to save this man. I happened to be there and he was badly hurt so I had to take him for treatment fast. Maureen helped me a lot."

            "She seems nice."

            "She is. Unfortunately, your kind tend to look a little too much at the outer looks of one being. Her heart is bigger and warmer than a human's but she will never have a chance to share it unless humanity changes."

            Unfortunately, Akuma was right. Humans were always scared of what they didn't know. Like for Ultimecia. Most people never saw her but they were scared of her just knowing what she could or would do. Squall was scared too but he went after her and defeated her. It happened sometimes that he wondered why... Why him? Because it was his fate? But then it was coming to him that he was not alone in this. There was Rinoa, Zell, Selphie, Irvine, Quistis... and now Coran and Seifer.

            They must be looking for me. Probably Coran and Rinoa are going wild about it. But they wouldn't give up. The strong bond he was sharing with his twin would prove to her he was still alive so she would keep looking until she's exhausted. He missed them all. Seifer was probably feeling responsible.

            "What's taking Maureen so long?"

            "Be patient Squall. This place is quite far from the place Balamb Garden is standing."

            Squall turned to Akuma and widened his eyes with surprise.

            "Hey! I never told you my name! You kept calling me 'young Loire'!"

            "I told you I know a lot," the GF said with what looked like a smile.

            A splashing sound was heard. Squall turned his head to the spring to see Maureen brake the surface. She looked terrified so Squall gave up asking if she found anyone.

            "What's wrong?" he asked getting a bad feeling.

            She pulled herself out of the water.

            "You want to tell them you're alright, forget it! We have to save their lives!"


	3. Chapter 2: To Save One's Friends

Chapter 2: To Save One's Friends

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            "What do you mean?" Squall asked as he huried towards the girl.

            She was catching her breath, unable to speak. (strange considering she was using gills to breath underwater...)

            "I saw... a storm coming! Garden is still standing on the sea because they're still looking for you. They don't have time to get to cover. I think they didn't even notice the storm coming their way."

            "How come you saw it?"

            "I didn't 'see' it, I felt it. Don't forget that I'm a mermaid. The water curent felt a little different to me."

            "I must tell them!"

            He suddenly took his head in his hand, weak.

            "Easy," Maureen said. "You nearly drowned, remember?"

            "But I must..."

            "You would never get to the surface..."

            "But I can't just let them die!"

            Meanwhile, Rinoa, Coran and SeeDs in underwater suits were still looking for Squall for a while underwater but he was nowhere to be found. The sun was going down and even with lamps, the SeeDs could barely see in the dephts. When they ran out of oxygen, they didn't have any choice but to return to Garden. Even though they were desperate to find their lost leader, they doubted that after all that time underwater, he would still be alive. He was dead...

            But Rinoa and Coran refused to give up. Coran knew Squall was still alive. As twins, they were sharing everything, if he would have been dead, she would have felt it.

            The Sorceresses were using their powers to light the undersea. Rinoa trusted Coran and believed Squall was still alive but maybe not in the water. She was 'flying' close to the surface and Coran deeper. 

            "You don't have to go that deep, Coran," she said telepathically.

            The girl kept silent and looked again, deeper.

            Rinoa suddenly noticed it waqs getting darker but not around her, rather under her. She looked at Coran and saw her aura diminish drastically. It faded then disappeared completely.

            "Coran!" she exclaimed flying down to her.

            She grabbed her and hurried to the surface. She brought Coran up to the quad where Seifer was still standing. He appeared worried when he saw Rinoa carrying Coran, uncounscious. He reached out to her and Rinoa gently placed Coran in her lover's arms. He carefully rested her on the floor.

            "What happened?" he asked as he stroked her face from the soaked strands of hair.

            "She's exhausted. She couldn't hold her barrier anymore. My Angel Wing doesn't use my power."

            Seifer took a sorry look as he held Coran in his arms.

            "It's my fault. If I would only have caught him..."

            "It's not true Seifer," Rinoa said. "If Coran would hear you, she'd say you tried to catch him. You couldn't, not your fault..."

            "Squall..." Coran whispered under her breath.

            Rinoa folded her wings and kneeled down beside the girl. Seifer brought his head closer.

            "Squall... we'll get you out..."

            Rinoa clenched Coran's hand and got up.

            "I'll find him, Coran. Even if it's the last thing I'll do, I'll find him."

            She spread her wings and dived down Garden into the water one more time.

            She decided to try and look farther. As long as she wouldn't have proof he was dead, she knew he could be alive. She clenched her necklace. She could feel it, just like Coran.

            "I've gotta tell them! They're still looking for me, the least I could do is tell them I'm fine and try to save them!"

            "But Garden can't leave since they don't want to leave you."

            "We could bring them all here until the storm passes," Akuma suggested.

            Squall looked at him. 

            "Yeah! There's plenty of room here! But I want to tell them myself. If you show up, they might get scared."

            "Alright," Maureen said. "You hold onto me and I'll get you to them. I swim fast so you better hold on tight!"

            Squall entered in the water right away then blushed, not knowing where to place his hands. He could grab her tail she wouldn't be able to swim. Her waist, he would never be able to hold on with all the swimming.

            Seeing he had trouble dealing with that question, she faced his her back.

            "Put your arms around my neck. Don't worry about choking me, my neck is harder than yours."

            "Alright."

            He did as she said.

            "Now hold your breath."

            He did then they dived. Squall was surprised. She could really swim fast! They ended up to the surface really quick, so quick, Squall wasn't sure they were until he saw Garden standing a bit farther. He looked around and saw someone swimming away. He recognized Rinoa.

            She was desperate. She couldn't use her powers to breath underwater anymore. She could still use her angel wing but just holding her breath and dive was tiring. What if he was dead? What if Coran was to busy searching she didn't feel anything? No he had to be. She had to believe he was, for Coran!

            "Rinoa!!"

            What? Was she hallucinating? That voice... it couldn't be...

            She turned her head and saw a familiar bronze head. He was not alone but she didn't care. She felt her heart sqeeze with emotion and her eyes fill with tears of relief.

            "Squall!"

            She flied towards him and he took her in his arms.

            "I knew you couldn't be dead! I knew it! Coran never doubted either! She exhausted herself looking for you! Seifer's gonna be relieved as well..."

            Squall held Rinoa at arms length looking grave.

            "I'm sorry to have scared you but there is an emergency. A storm is coming, huge and Garden's right on its track! It's too late to move it and everyone's in danger! I was saved by an unknown GF who knew my father and he said we can take everyone in his undersea cave. Everyone must gather at the Quad!!"

            "I'm not sure I understand but I'll go tell everyone. You just get your GF ready!"

            "I'm taking care of that," Maureen said.

            She disappeared underwater and Rinoa frowned.

            "Who's that?"

            "She saved me too," Squall said blushing slightly. "I'll tell you everything later. For now we must save everyone!"

            "Okay!"

            Rinoa flied up to the Quad after Squall insisted on staying in the water so everyone would trust Akuma once he was there.


	4. Chapter 3: Operation: Evacuation

Chapter 3: Operation: Evacuation

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            It didn't take long before everyone had gathered at the Quad. Some were still waiting behind. Despite the crisis, everyone was calm. Well, not really calm rather excited. Some didn't even know why they were all there.

            The sky was darkening fast and thunder was cracking not far. It was not raining yet, but the wind was blowing strong. The waves were growing stronger and Squall was starting to have a hard time staying on the surface. He was a good swimmer but not in that kind of situation. Besides, it was a miracle he was even alive.

            A wave came over his head and sent him underwater. He managed to swim back to surface but at the second he broke the surface, another wave decided to send him back underwater. He felt his lungs about to explode when something came from under and pushed him up. When his head was out of the water, he took a deep breath of fresh air and turned to Maureen floating by Akuma's side.

            "You alright, Squall?" Akuma inquired.

            "Ye... (cough) yeah, thanks."

            "Good. We must hurry, the storm is on us. I can take up to ten persons at a time or else we'll go slower."

            "I'll have to go up and tell everyone about this. I'll make'em trust you."

            "Get ready then."

            Akuma went back underwater, leaving Squall floating around. All of a sudden, he came under Squall, giving him a big push to the Quad. His landing lacked quality though. He landed on his butt. He got up in front of the students wondering if they had to laugh or ask if he was alright. He rubbed his bottom.

            "Ouch... could have warned..."

            His friends were standing around, and that included Coran.

            "I knew you were alright, Squall." She said obviously relieved.

            "Yeah but if we don't hurry, none of us is gonna be alright soon."

            "So what are we going to do?" Seifer asked.

            Squall spoke louder to make himself understood by everyone.

"You're gonna have to trust that creature down there. He's Akuma, a GF. He gonna take us to a safe place until the storm passes by. But he can only take ten of us at a time. You're gonna have to hold your breath until you reach an undersea cavern. If you're afraid you might not be able to hold your breath, we can share breathing devices but there won't be enough for everyone, so take one only if you really feel the use or save them for the kids. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir!"

            "Good."

            Squall turned to look down the Quad. Since the wind was blowing strong even if he'd yell no one down there would hear him so he just raised his thumb.

            "Quistis, you know most of the students right? I'm asking you to try and notice if everyone goes through it."

            "Count on me."

            They started to get some students in the water. Maureen was telling them to hold on tight and not to be scared. Everything would be fine. Then she would follow Akuma to take the breathers back. It was getting harder by the minute. The sky was full of thunder cracking, lightnings crashing which was very dangerous and it was now raining. The waves are moving Garden around, causing it to stop functionning.

            The evacuation was nearly complete when a leak appeared, causing Garden to start sinking.

            Rinoa and Coran were carrying most people now because the waves were too dangerous. Akuma had a hard time staying still. 

            Coran, the last one standing on the Quad, passed a kid to Rinoa. 

            "Wait!" the kid exclaimed. "My friend is still inside!"

            "What?" Rinoa asked in horror. "Who?"

            "You know the one jogging around Garden?"

            "Oh, no!" Quistis exclaimed.

            "There's no time left!" Seifer exclaims as he looks up.

            But what he sees up to the Quad twist his face. Coran is looking at him a determined way. Then she spun around back into the sinking Garden.

            "NO!!" Seifer exclaimed. "CORAN!"

            "What is she, nuts?" Zell asked.

            Rinoa handed her friends the kid she was carrying but before she could even start flying back up, her wings vanished. She had exhausted her powers.

            "I can't..."

            "Coran!" Squall tried to call.

            But it was no use. He doubted she could hear him, and even if she could, she'd probably ignore him.

            They were all holding their breaths as Garden was going down. It was almost completely sank when they saw her coming back, holding the kid. He started floating thanks to her powers to the team's way. Those still watching Garden could see Coran collapse, out of energy. To everyone's horror, Garden was swallowed by the sea along with Coran.

            "CORAN!!" Squall exclaimed as he tried to jump in the water.

            "Are you crazy?" Maureen said keeping him on Akuma's back. "See that whirlpool Garden formed? You're gonna get stucked under Garden if you go!"

            "Maybe she'll use her powers to come back?" Selphie supposed.

            "I think she's out." Rinoa said a sorry way. "She used a lot of magic to breath underwater while we were looking for Squall, and again to help the evacuation... She's lost..."

            Squall shook his head. No... he would not accept this, no way!

            Seifer was keeping his head down, not knowing what to do.

            The SeeD leader looked around and saw what he was looking for right there on Akuma's back: the last breathing device with a little air left. How much? Not important as long as there was some left, it was enough. He grabbed it, put it in place and noticed there was air left for ten minutes only. Not much.

            Before anyone could see anything, he dived.

            "Squall!" Rinoa exclaimed.

            "Fool!" Seifer exclaimed. "You really wanna die with her?"

            The currents produced by Garden made it hard for Squall to enter it. Once he managed to swim the right way, he thought his air would run out faster if he had to make unnecessary moves. Then his thought went back to the reason he was down there after certain death: his sister. He didn't know why he felt that urge to save her. Even Seifer didn't feel like it. In Seifer's case, it was because he was to overwhelmed by the possibility of loosing her.

            Squall saw a faint light further ahead. With a hopeful face, he went that way. There she was, floating with a faint aura around her. It was keeping her alive apparently but she was uncounscious. This would save her remaining strength.

            Squall grabbed her but she wouldn't budge. She was stuck! A structure had collapsed due to Garden's sinking and has trapped her. Squall tried to free her but he was running out of air fast. He used all the strength he had left to pull her out but then he realized he was too weak to go back to the surface.

            A movement by his side scared him. It was Maureen.

            "I'll get you out of here," she said.

            Since she was a mermaid, she could easily speak underwater.

            She seemed exhausted like everyone else. With force travelling between the cave and Garden, fighting the currents, she has weakened up.

            "I can't take you both in the same time, I'm too weak."

            The light emanating from Coran faded and vanished. There was no time to waste. Squall handed his sister to Maureen and signaled her to take her first.

            "I won't have enough time to come back and get you, Squall, you'll run out of air before I come back!"

            Squall shook his head. It didn't matter to him as long as Coran was safe. He pushed the mermaid to force her to leave. She finally gave up realizing it was no use arguing with him. It was only making time flow and they didn't have any to lose.

            She left as fast as she could. Squall smiled to her back. Once she was out of sight, he fainted.

            Back on the shore, Seifer was reanimating Coran. The girl was still half in the water, the dying waves licking her fingers.

            When the girl wide opened her eyes and started coughing, everyone sighed with relief. She looked around, as if she was searching something. Everyone was around. Everyone except...

            "Where's Squall?" she asked.

            Seifer lowered his head. Coran tried to get Rinoa's eyes, but she was hiding the tears she was shedding.

            With the rain pouring, it was hard to tell who was crying.

            "He wanted to save you so badly..." Seifer started.

            Coran slowly shook her head.

            "No... no... NO!"

            She got up to run to the sea. Everyone went after her to stop her.

            "It's never gonna end!" Zell said.

            "Stop!" Seifer insisted. "He wouldn't want this!"

            "Let go! He's still alive!"

            "It's impossible." Quistis stated.

            "LET GO!"

            A strange energy wave emerged from Coran's body and pushed everyone away. She started glowing and her eyes turned blank. It seemed the rain wasn't reaching her anymore. 

            Something on the surface caught the others' attention.

            Something was glowing on the surface. Squall suddenly broke the surface, wrapped up in an aura wave, floating towards the others. When he was rested on the shore, he started coughing. Rinoa threw herself into his arms calling his name while his friends were tapping his back.

            The light surrounding Coran vanished and she went back to normal. Strangely, she didn't collapse.

            Akuma closened up on them.

            "Little Magic Girl?" he asked as he looked at Coran.

            She looked at him a strange way then a light appeared in her eyes.

            "My Water Friend!"

            "What?" Everyone exclaimed.

            "Maybe we should go to a dry spot to talk, what do you say?" Akuma suggested.


	5. Chapter 4: The Power Of Trust

Chapter 4: The Power Of Trust

****

            As the exhausted students were having some rest in a corner of Akuma's cave, the gang was sitting around him and Maureen. The GF, too big to stand in the cave with all this people around, was just staying in the pond. Maureen has dried back into a human and was sitting close to Akuma. She was a bit nervous. She haven't seen many humans this close for more than a century.

            "Now," Squall started. "Can you explain why you two seem to know each other?"

            He looked from Coran to Akuma. Coran looked at Akuma then at her brother.

            "Remember I told you I wandered the world a while before I started looking for you?"  [For those wondering what the hel this is about, read my other fanfic Squall's Sister, the prequel to this story.]

            Squall nodded. The others also knew what she meant.

            "One night I had stopped close to the sea. I never went close before because I was afraid of the sea monsters. After all, I was just a kid. I was dragged there for some reason. Another side of my powers I guess. I found... Akuma there on the shore, hurt."

            "I came too close to the surface and some monster hunters saw me and took me for a target. I managed to flee but not without a scratch."

            "But aren't you a GF?" Seifer asked holding Coran possessively, apparently afraid she would disappear if he would let go of her. "You could have wiped them out!"

            "I could have, but that's not why I'm on this world. I'm not here to kill but to help. But we're getting ahead of ourselves. Coran treated me for a few days, always avoiding to use her powers. She kept calling me Water Friend. Even though she didn't want to, she sometimes used her powers unknowingly so I called her Little Magic Girl, because she didn't want to tell me her real name."

            "Once he was back to health, he left but..."

            She frowned then looked at him.

            "He said we would meet again..."

            Then everyone turned to Akuma.

            "You knew..." Squall trailed off.

            The GF nodded. 

            "Yes. I knew who she was and I knew I would meet both you and her again. The only thing I didn't know was under which circumstances."

            "Did you also know you would meet his children later when you saved our father?"

            Now it was Squall's turn to be the center of attention. Everyone was wondering what he meant.

            "Remember Father had an accident on the Centra continent and that he ended up in Winhill after where Raine treated him?"

            Everyone noticed Squall called Laguna 'father' but called Raine by her name.

            "Who do you think brought him there? I mean Winhill is quite far from Centra!"

            Coran shivered. Thinking she was cold, Seifer took off his dried coat and placed it on her shoulders but she was not cold. Where did that shiver came from, she didn't know. She only knew it wasn't good. Was this all planned or what? Are they playing a role in some crazy scenario? 

            Busy talking, no one noticed Maureen was gone. They noticed when they heard a splashing sound close to Akuma. Some startled turning to her.

            "Good news everyone!" She said with a wide smile. "The storm has passed and a beautiful sun has replaced it!"

            Once Akuma was done taking everyone to the surface, on a shore not too far from where Garden sank, on Galbadia continent, there were no smiles on the people's faces. Some kids were crying.

            "Where are we gonna live now?"

            Some girls too.

            "I left everything I had in my room!"

            Some guys were mad.

            "Dammit!"

            Squall and the others were powerless. Zell punched the ground.

            "Hell! We can use GFs, we saved this world but we couldn't even save our home! Damn!"

            They were orphans without a family, now they were orphans without a home.

            "At least everyone's alive," Irvine said still with a sad tone.

            "Yeah, but..." Quistis sarted looking at the sea.

            Squall walked closer to the water, thoughtful. Coran was looking at him, held by Seifer. She was so tired she was having a hard time just standing. Rinoa was also looking at him but everyone was silent except for the complaining people.

            A shadow enwrapped Squall. He wasn't startled as if he's gotten used to this by now. He turned around looking up.

            "Zell's words are finding a way in your mind aren't they? You have an idea but you don't know if it will work."

            Squall sighed, pushing his soaked hair behind his ear.

            "You can read minds too?"

            "Not everyone's. But yours is like your father's. So clear and simple. You never think about a lot of things in the same time so seeing an idea isn't so hard. Besides, Coran and Rinoa know what you think as well and they think it's a good idea."

            Squall turned his back on the GF.

            "You know, for someone who hasn't been in contact with humans for a long time, you talk a lot."

            "All this time spent with Maureen, we haven't talked that much. We don't have to to comunicate. Talking openly is good."

            "..."

            "What Zell said about the GFs, that you saved the world... They trusted you into saving this world. There wasn't any reason for them to show up in a while, they'll help. They trust you, so trust them."

            "You think so?"

            "What have you got to lose? I'll stick around so if they disagree, I'll interfere."

            "And they'll listen to you?"

            "I'm the elder and in a way, the leader. But I won't have to interfere."

            Squall decided to trust this creature once again and walked to his gang.

            "Let's call the GFs." He simply said.

            They looked at him.

            "Huh? Why?" Zell asked.

            "Which?" Selphie asked back.

            "All of them."

            Everything suddenly turned silent.

            "All of them?" Quistis asked nervously.

            "This is insane!" Seifer exclaimed. "There never were more than one or two GFs summoned in the same time at the same place!"

            "This is the occasion for a first time."

            "But... why?" Irvine asked.

            "To get our home back! We'll ask the GFs to pull Garden out of the water."

            Rinoa and Coran were smiling.

            "You think they'll agree?" Selphie asked hopefully.

            "Akuma thinks they will. Might as well give it a try..."

            Then Squall turned to the rest of the students and took on his commander role.

            "Listen everyone! We're gonna try something never done before... We're gonna ask the GFs for help but this time, not for battle. To get our home back! I'm asking for all your cooperation. I want some of you to go to the nearest towns, rent cars and reach Galbadia Garden to borrow some big chains, huge and long."

            Some of the older students volunteered right away, a light of hope shining in their eyes. They left right away, running. Then Squall turned to his friends.

            "Selphie, you and Irvine take a boat at Dollet to reach Balamb island. Then you take the Ragnarok to Trabia Garden. Maybe they have some to spare as well. Selphie, you drive and Irvine you help. Anyone else wants to go?"

            "I'll past," Seifer said. "I gave the order to fire the missiles on Trabia, I don't think I'd be welcomed there..."

            "Booya!! I don't hold a grudge against you, Seifer!" Selphie exclaimed.

            "Thanks, but you know the circumstances. I don't think they would believe me."

            "Besides," Squall cut before the conversation would involve too many painful memories. "I want you to stay with Coran... Wait! Irvine and Quistis you'll go to Galbadia since you know them. Zell will go with Selphie."

 But first..."

            He turned around and concentrated. He placed his hand in front of his face then send it in front of him as green balls appeared around him and rolled around then vanished.

            The sky turned grey and a shadow appeared through the clouds then broke the clouds and Bahamut flapped his wings to break his fall over the water.

            "There is no fight," he said with a deep voice.

            Some of the remainig students had a move backward but those knowing Bahamut knew he was pleased to be there.

            "That's right," Squall said. "We're gonna summon the others then we'll explain everything."

            "I may as well land then..."

            He flew past the students, sending sand all over and bringing some people on their knees. He landed farther. The remaining students coughed a bit then stared at the amazing GF with fear and admiration as well.

            "Keep going, master," Bahamut stated.

            Squall shook his head.

            "I'm not your master. You're giving me a hand but I don't hold your life in my hands. The best I can come up with is comrades."

            "Why not try 'Friends'?" Coran said freeing herself from Seifer's grip.

            Squall looked at her and she smiled. Yes, friends, always there to give hand if needed. Friends...

            "Alright! Let's call the rest of our friends!"

            "Yeah!"

            Rinoa, Selphie, Irvine, Quistis, Zell and Seifer stood by Squall's side. The SeeD leader looked each side of himself. Behind them, the students have taken a few steps backward, waiting with excitement.

            "Ready?" Squall asked.

            "Yes, sir!"

            They all placed  a hand in front of their face then placed it in front of them. The ground started shaking when the green balls disappeared. A whirlpool was formed in the sky, lightnings struck, the waves went berserk.

            They started worrying a bit.

            "Was it such a good idea?" Zell asked nervousely looking around.

            "Maybe we should have summoned them one at a time..." Quistis said.

            "No, we're losing time," Squall assured.

            Coran walked to them.

            "You should stay behind," Seifer said with a soft and worried tone.

            "I'm fine. Look!"

            She pointed the sea and through one og the raging waves, something came. Leviathan broke the surface of water with force splashing. Further, something was coming out of the sea, something big: Alexander. A hole opened in the ground and Carbuncle appeared and jumped in Selphie's arms. Lightning struck the ground close to the gang and Quezacoatl appeared flapping it's wings; an iron gate appeared and Cerberus came through. On a rock in the sea, Siren was sitting. She went in the water to join the others. From a dark corner of the sky, Diablos appeared.

            Some screamed, impressed to see so many GFs at the same time. That included Squall's gang. Quezacoatl was still flapping to stay still, like Diablos. Alexander came forward with Cerberus, Leviathan stayed in the water but he was quite long so he was easy to spot. Selphie let go of Carbuncle and Siren slowly came out of the water. 

            The gang remained silent. There were no words to describe the magnificence of this scene... Including Bahamut, there were now eight GFs standing close to each other...

            "You summoned us," Siren started.

            "But it seems like there is no fight," Diablos continued

            "There is a good reason for your presence here," Akuma interfered.

            All GFs turned to him as if they just noticed him. Hard to think considering how big he was.

            "Akuma..." Leviathan said.

            "So you're still alive," Diablos added.

            "Does it mean... it's the time?" Quezacoatl asked.

            Everyone turned to Akuma... The time for what?

            "No... Not yet. But there are still some of our friends missing. Squall if you would..."

            "Let's call the others."

            They summoned one more time, this time calling Shiva, Ifrit, the Brothers, Pandemona, Tonberry, Cactuar and Doomtrain. They managed to summon the Queen of Ice away from the Fire master, thinking that would be very bad.

            Seeing them all there, with their magical respective aura, they were far more impressive than when they would just attack then leave.

            Squall turned to his friends.

            "Thanks for helping the summoning, guys. Now proceed with the plan."

            They saluted then Zell, Selphie, Quistis and Irvine left in two different directions.

            "Hope they won't be too long. Meanwhile, I'll tell you all what I'm expecting from you... my friends..."

            The GFs listened silently. Quezacoatl decided to land, like Diablos. Sometimes, Doomtrain would give a smoking sound.

            "So now, I'm asking for your help but not to fight, to help us get our home back. I know it a lot to ask, but please! I'm asking in all the SeeD's and candidates name!"

            Some GFs looked at each other and some at Akuma. He kept his opinion to himself. He would speak only if needed.

            "I think we should do it," Shiva said walking forward with a freezing mist following her.

            "Why?" Ifrit asked.

            "Because they deserve it," Siren answered. "Some of us, including me, were trapped for a long time before beeing freed by these people. They didn't treat us as fighting machines, but as comrades, friends. As their friends, it's our duty to help."

            "But I don't want to force anyone to stay and help. I f any of you want to leave, go. I'm asking for volunteers, not forced workers."

            Siren turned to the others.

            "They helped us get free in the past and treated us as equal. The least we could do is help them while they're in need. Any of you want to back out?"

            After a quick look around, the GFs all nodded and showed what looked like a smile in some cases. They were agreeing.

            Behind Squall, his friends and the students were jumping with hurrays.

            "Thank you," Squall said bowing. "Thank you very much."

            "No, thanks to you for freeing me," Siren said walking to him.

            Despite the fact she was female, she was a GF and a little bigger than Squall. She placed a hand on his face and winked. Squall blushed.

            "Thanks for never giving up hope as you fought for the sake of this world."

            Squall was red as a tomato as Siren walked around him seducively. Rinoa frowned and Coran giggled.

            "What are we waiting for then?" Tonberry asked with a small voice.

            "We need chains. Some SeeDs went to get some. We'll start as soon as they get here. Meanwhile, I'll tell you what you'll have to do."

            Squall told the swimming GFs, Leviathan and Akuma, that their part was the most important. Once they'd get the chains, the two GFs would first take Garden off the bottom, then the flying GFs would finish taking it to the surface. Pulling Garden all over could take it apart so Carbuncle would cast a Ruby Light on it to protect it. Then the others would have to pull it ashore. Shiva would cool down Doomtrain's wheels to keep it from overheating. Siren would sing to reinforce her comrades. It would be a different song of course.

            "Hey," Seifer said. "Why didn't you called Eden? It would be done in a flash!"

            "With it's velocity? Garden would never be able to handle the pressure. It's much too big!"

            "I guess you're right."

            The people sent to Galbadia Garden were coming back... with Galbadian vehicles pulling heavy looking chains behind them. The vehicles stopped and Quistis came down, saluting.

            "Galbadian team back successfully, sir!" she said with a smile.

            Irvine came down just behind her.

            "I've lost the interest in Galbadia Garden, my home's Balamb."

            Cid decided to leave the kids and join the winning team.

            "So? How is it going?"

            "We're waiting for Selphie to come back then we'll begin."

            They didn't have to wait very long. They heard the caracteristic sound of the Ragnarok before they could see it. It landed far enough not to spread dust and sand around. Once it stopped, Squall and company ran to it. The hatch opened and Zell came down with Selphie.

            "So?" Squall asked.

            "So, give us a hand here, will ya? We don't have much but what we have is too heavy for us alone to carry."

            Some heavy footsteps closened on them. They turned around and saw three pair of eyes looking at them.

            "I'll help you," Cerberus offered.

            Squall nodded.

            They went inside to take chains out then Cerberus' three heads each grabbed a piece of some chains and pulled it to the shore.

            Once everything was set, Squall took his leader part once again.

            "Alright, now this will get tricky. We can't just fix the chains on Garden, we have to fix some inside as well. Akuma's too big and I don't think Leviathan could do it either. What we need to get down there is a human to fix them real carefully around strong structures or it won't hold together."

            "I'll go," Coran offered.

            "No way!" Seifer objected. "You travelled close enough to death today!"

            "But!" she started.

            "I'm not asking anyone to do this, I'll do it myself."

            "Yeah right, you nearly died about as often as Coran today if not more!"

            It seems Seifer had more to say so no one interfered. He took off his recently put on coat.

            "I'll go. Let me be useful for a change."

            Squall wanted to object but there was no way he could do it and Seifer volunteered so...

            "Alright, Seifer, you're in."

            Seifer looked at him and his lips pronounced a silent 'thank you' that only Squall saw.

            "But the thing is you can't breath underwater and we don't have enough air left..."

            "Yes we do!" someone cut in.

            Xu broke through Squall's gang still trying to figure out what to do and handed him one of the breathing devices they used for the evacuation.

            "This one's full of air, enough for an hour, but maybe you won't need that much."

            "Hey!" Zell exclaimed. "I thought we used it all!"

            "We did, but I recharged this one. It takes some time to get full, but it's not complicated. It has a pomping system so it fulls by itself."

            "Thanks, that will keep me from drowning," Seifer said taking the device.

            Akuma walked closer.

            "Leviathan and I will give a hand. I'll take the chains and Leviathan will take the guy to save his strength."

            "Fine with me," Seifer said.

            Akuma grabbed a few chains in his mouth and walked to the water. Seifer walked to Leviathan already waiting for him when someone grabbed his arm. He turned around to meet a girl's scared face.

            "Coran..."

            "Be careful okay? If something happens... I don't think I'll have the power to take you out..."

            "I'll be fine. I'll have too great GFs to watch my back."

            "But if you get stuck, they won't be able to help..."

            "You're telepathic aren't you? Is it taking too much of your energy? You could keep a link between us so if anything happens, you'll know."

            Coran closed her eyes then nodded before opening them again. Seifer could feel her presence in his mind like before.

            "See ya!" Seifer said before putting the breather in his mouth and diving along with Akuma and Leviathan.

            Squall turned to Coran. 

"I want you to keep contact with her, Rinoa, can you give her a hand?"

            He didn't want to put too much pressure on his sister after so short time to recover.

            Rinoa nodded and came to Coran's side.

            "Of course!"

            "Good. When you know Seifer is done, you tell me."

The girls nodded and stood next to each other on the beach and focused. Nothing would disturb their concentration.

            Meanwhile, Seifer has reached Garden and was looking for some good spots to tie the chains to. He found a few stronger looking spots and started working. Once he judged it was strong enough, he went back to the swimming GFs and raised a thumb up.

            "He's done," Coran and Rinoa said in the same time.

            Coran fell on her knees but it was not from exhaustion as Squall and Rinoa first thought. It was from relief.

            "Alright!" Squall said. "Carbuncle, can you cast your magic on Garden even if it's underwater? We can't afford to see it break down now."

            "No problem," the little green guy said jumping up.

            The red jewel on it's head started glowing then got bigger and spread a light on the spot where Garden sank. At this spot, the water started giving off a greenish light.

            "Perfect! Quezacoatl, Bahamut and Diablos be ready to grab the chains as soon as the others surface with it."

            The three flying GFs growled then flapped their wings to leave solid ground.

            "It's up to you from this part. Then the others will take it over."

            Leviathan and Akuma came through the water, Seifer on Akuma's back. Diablos being the only one with hands was the one to grab the chains and hand them to the other two. Then they started pulling with Leviathan and Akuma.

            "We'll see what Garden's made off..." Squall said.

            The only thing was to see if Garden would hold together or not. Some candidates were holding their breaths.

            The chains were stiff and the water was giving off bubbles. They had long way to go until it would be close enough to let the ground GFs give a hand.

            "They're not strong enough to pull it alone," Zell said.

            "But what else can we do?" Squall asked turning to him. "They're the only water and flying GFs we have!"

            A red light appeared behind them on the ground. Everyone moved away as a picture was drawn out of fire on the ground. Once it was complete, a red bird came out and spread it's wings.

            "Phoenix!" Squall exclaimed with a smile.

            The Gf flew to the others to lend a hand.

            "Wow! He's come!" Selphie exclaimed.

            "Huh?" Coran said clueless.

            "Phoenix isn't really tamed," Squall explained. "He shows up randomely, when he feels like it."

            "Maybe he thought it was necessary for him to show up," Rinoa supposed.

            Phoenix went to join Quezacoatl, grabbind his chain with him.

            The chains were shaking but it was working. When the top of Garden broke the surface, everyone jumped up with exclamations. Akuma went under to give it a push while Leviathan was trying to reach the shore and give the chain to the ground summons. Seifer jumped down and joined his friends as they were making some distance between them and the working GFs.

            They all started pulling on the two chains they had. Carbuncle was keeping his light around Garden while the others were making two teams. Doomtrain at the end of one and Alexander at the end of the other. Shiva and Ifrit avoided being close to each other. Not that they didn't like each other just that they knew their weakness.

            Shiva was using her magic sometimes on Doomtrain to cool him down while Siren was standing in front of the two pulling lines to sing a strength song.

            "That's amazing..." Quistis said.

            "I never saw anything like that!" Irvine stated.

            "I did," Coran said.

            Everyone turned to her.

            "What did you say?" Seifer asked.

            "I said I saw this before. In a book, all GFs working together to build this world under Hyne's command."

            Squall walked close to her.

            "Coran... where...?" he started.

            "In a book, silly!" she said with a smile. "What? Did you think I saw this with my own eyes? Come on!"

            She looked back at the scene.

            "But this is much better than fade drawings..."

            As the GFs were pulling, someone else decided to grant them with his presence: Gilgamesh. With his four arms, he had it to pull!

            It took a long time to pull Garden far enough from the sea to be sure it wouldn't fall back in. It was surprising but it was back it's first shape, the way it was in the beginning before it could fly. That would help a lot to repair it.

            The Brother dug a giant hole to place Garden inside so it would stand straight. Since their was an underground level, it had to be underground.

            Everyone started clapping and jumping with exclamations.

            The crew walked to the exhausted GFs.

            "Well done," Squall said. "Thank you, thank you very much," he said bowing.

            Everyone did the same.

            "You earned a rest, a long rest," Squall added. "Thanks again."

            "It was a pleasure," Shiva said.

            "We're glad we could be of some help," Cerberus added.

            "You can call on us again whenever you need us."

            Squall saluted, mimiced by the others.

            "We will."

            Then all the GFs except for Akuma disappeared.

            Note: Hey it's not over yet! The Epilogue is coming and it woun't be long! This chapter was the longest! At first I didn't want to make an epilogue, but I always had before so I decided to cut here. Wait for the epilogue!


	6. Epilogue: I'll See You Again

            The last part of this story!! This story wasn't long! It's just the second part of my trilogy, the third will be longer and (I'm sure of it) much, much better, with more action!!

****

Epilogue: I'll See You Again… 

****

            Akuma stood in front of the humans with Maureen by his side. She was under her human form. Behind them, the sea was waiting.

            "Now it's up to you to do the rest," Akuma said.

            Maureen walked forward and smiled. She wrapped her arms around Squall and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She did the same to the rest of his friends.

            "So it's a good-bye?" Rinoa asked.

            Akuma nodded.

            "I'll stay in the shadows a while longer."

            "Me too," Maureen said after being back to Akuma's side. "I'm not used to be around people."

            "I understand," Squall said.

            Akuma turned around to go but Squall went after him.

            "Wait!"

            The GF turned his head to him.

            "Yes?"

            "Tell me... Was it fate you brought my father to Winhill so he met Raine? That this meeting would result into Coran and I being born? Then that you would meet Coran before saving my life?"

            Akuma had what seemed like a smile, curious, as he glanced at Coran.

            "Maybe..."

            As mysterious as ever. Squall gave up asking more.

            "Are we gonna see you again?" Rinoa asked.

            They were all thinking the same thing.

            Akuma glanced at Coran again.

            "Probably..."

            He looked at everyone.

            "The GFs never worked together before, despite what you saw in books. They all worked seperately to make the world as you know it today. It was the first time and not the last..."

            "What do you mean?" Zell asked.

            "Soon, the world will face a crisis. On that day, the GFs will gather again but this time, to fight... And that's when I will come back."

            "A crisis?" Squall asked. "What kind of crisis?"

            "How do you know that?" Seifer asked.

            "You'll find out soon enough..."

            That was his last words as he walked in the water and disappeared along with Maureen.

            The others looked at each other.

            "Wonder what this was about?" Irvine said.

            "A crisis?" Seifer said not believing it. "Come on, now, the world's at peace now!"

            "Yeah!" Zell added. "Man, I'm hungry, why not grab a piece to eat?"

            "We'll have to go to another city because all the found in the cafeteria is ruined."

            "Alright, let's go!"

            As everyone turned to reach the nearest city, someone didn't follow. Squall turned around.

            "Coran?"

            She didn't respond so he walked back to her. She was standing in front of the sea, her hand clenching her heart. Squall came by her side.

            "You okay, Coran?"

            "Squall! You startled me!"

            Squall frowned a bit concerned.

            "Is something wrong?"

            She shook her head.

            "No just that I feel... He was right, we're gonna see him again..."

            She looked strange. Squall wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

            "Come now. When he saved me, Akuma said he could see my past but the future was always a little blurry. He never really looked at it because it wouldn't be any fun to live anymore. He could have made a mistake."

            "You think so?"

            He nodded.

            "You hungry?"

            "You bet!"

            Then she went after the others, after Seifer who wrapped an arm around her waist.

            "Where were you?"

            "Just looking at the sea."

            Squall stared at her, not moving. He could feel she had more on her mind that she wanted to tell. Was there more about her than what he already knew? Was that the reason Akuma kept eyeing her? 

            Squall shrugged. For now, they had to focus on restoring Garden, there was no time to worry about anything else... But still...

**_To be continued..._**

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Note: So???? Am I leaving you hanging? If so, great! Then You'll have to read the sequel...

            At first, I didn't think of making this a trilogy... When I got the idea for this story, it wasn't a sequel of any purpose, just that I wanted to include Coran in the story... Look at the result! This one leaves you hanging? The Prequel was better. If you haven't read Squall's Sister, I suggest you do right away! That should help you wait for the next sequel: Hyne's Comeback!


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